Self-contained beverage cooler



Jan. 17, 1967 .1. H. HUTCHINSON 3,298,194

SELF-CONTAINED BEVERAGE COOLER Filed June 24, 1965 James H. Hufchinsan United States Patent 3,298,194 SELF-CONTAINED BEVERAGE COOLER James H. Hutchinson, Rte. 3, Hart, Mich. 49420 Filed June 24, 1965, Ser. No. 466,544 2 Claims. ((311. 62294) This invention relates to refrigerated cartons, and more particularly to a self-contained refrigerated carton.

It is therefore the main purpose of this invention to provide a self-contained beverage cooler which will be waterproof by having a plastic coating on its exterior.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selfcontained beverage cooler which will have the coolant container placed on the bottom within a quantity of water in the carton receiving beverage bottles and the device will keep beverages cold without having to resort to ice or other means to cool the beverages contained within the carton.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a self-contained beverage cooler which will have the coolant container filled with liquid nitrogen, liquid propane or other suitable cooling agent.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of this invention shown in section.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the coolant container shown removed from FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side view of FIGURE 2 shown partly broken away.

According to this invention, a self-contained beverage cooler is provided with a hollow rectangular carton 11 which is covered with a plastic coating 12 thus making carton 11 waterproof. A corrugated layer 13 of cardboard or other suitable material is spaced between inner walls 13 thus providing air space which will aid in insulating beverage cooler 10. A coolant container 14 of rectangular shape is received within carton 11 and is provided with a pair of spaced apart supports 15 thus supporting it above the bottom of cooler 10. A plurality of beverage bottles 16 or other packaged beverages rests upon the coolant container 14 and water 17 is received within carton 11 to aid in the cooling process while an 3 ,298,194 Patented Jan. 17, 1967 air space above the water 17 allows for expansion without rupturing the carton 11. Coolant container 14 is provided with inside divider walls 18 to insure rigidity and strength for container 14 and a plurality of spaced apart openings 19 in the upper side of container 14 allow for the escape of the coolant gas or gases. A puncturing pin 20 provides a means of activating coolant container 14 to release the coolant.

What I now claim is:

1. A self-contained beverage cooler comprising a plastic coated carton having a corrugated layer of material against water proof interior walls for insulation, and a coolant package supporting the beverage containers and providing refrigeration means for said cooler, said coolant container being raised against the bottom wall of said carton by support block means thus allowing said water within said carton which surrounds said bottles of beverages to also surround said coolant container, said coolant container is provided with a plurality of spaced apart parallel rows of openings, said openings allowing for the escape of gas and said coolant container is provided with divider walls on its interior to insure rigidity and strength to said cooler container.

2. A self-contained beverage cooler comprising a plastic coated carton having a corrugated layer of material against a water-proof interior wall or insulation, and a coolant container placed on the bottom within a quantity of water placed within said beverage cooler for supporting beverage bottles and providing refrigeration means for said cooler, said coolant container containing a coolant agent and having a plurality of spaced apart openings in the upper walls of said coolant container, said openings being not in normal communication with said coolant agent, a puncturing pin carried by said coolant container, said coolant container being activated by said puncturing pin which allows communication of said coolant agent with said openings for said agent to escape from said openings of said coolant container so to refrigerate said beverage bottles placed within said water within said carton.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,385,866 10/1945 Kuehner 62372 2,491,114 12/1949 Julin 62371 2,496,296 2/1950 Lobl 62457 2,570,300 10/1951 Acton 62457 2,898,747 8/ 1959 Wales 62--294 2,979,227 4/ 1961 Norton 62-529 3,213,641 10/1965 Agee 62-457 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SELF-CONTAINED BEVERAGE COOLER COMPRISING A PLASTIC COATED CARTON HAVING A CORRUGATED LAYER OF MATERIAL AGAINST WATER PROOF INTERIOR WALLS FOR INSULATION, AND A COOLANT PACKAGE SUPPORTING THE BEVERAGE CONTAINERS AND PROVIDING REFRIGERATION MEANS FOR SAID COOLER, SAID COOLANT CONTAINER BEING RAISED AGAINST THE BOTTOM WALL OF SID CARTON BY SUPPORT BLOCK MEANS THUS ALLOWING SAID WATER WITHIN SAID CARTON WHICH SURROUNDS SAID BOTTLES OF BEVER- 